: and reflected to infinity from the fides of the cove, Mont Callier, situated upon the fide of a moun- Mont 13 late King was seized and made prifoner, (and not at Rivoli) about one o'clock after midnight. The palace was furrounded by the guards, with fuch fecrecy and dispatch, that an officer and four or five foldiers afcending the stairs, easily forced their way through the small guard that attempted to oppose his paffage into the King's bed-chamber, before the least alarm could be given. The King was in bed with the Comteffe de St. Sebastienne. On their entering the room, he jumped out of bed, and being shewn the order for his confine ment, made this reflection aloud: Je n'auroit jan mais cru que mon fils eut eu tant d'esprit. He was immediately conveyed to the chateau of Rivoli, and foon after brought back again to Mont Callier, where he died about fix or seven years after. At the fame time that he was made prisoner, Madame de St. Sebastienne was conveyed to a convent, and there shut up for life. The room in which the King was seized, was his bed-chamber at his return, and in the same fated room he died. The same furniture remains in it, and shews how fimply the apartment of a King was furnished in this country a few years past. The floor is of brick, the walls white-washed, and hung with a few wretched portraits; there is one of a woman, which is handsome, and has wrote on the back Marchese D'Astruzzi; I suppose it was her name. The chairs are covered with crimson cut velvet, the window shutters plain brown oak. It is a large 1 large square room; the bed has been taken away. I cannot but think the passing the remainder of his days in the very apartment where his wife was torn from him, and he himself deprived of his liberty, are circumstances that might have been dispensed with in this poor old man's situation. There are no other pictures in this palace befides old family portraits, which are hung up in the galleries, and look so terrific in their uncouth dreffes and armour, that I should not like to be left alone with them by candle light. Some old doors still remain, and are odd enough; they are embroidered all over in gold and filver, almost black at present, but rich in quaint devices and mottos. Two or three struck our fancy, as pretty for their day; namely, a tree burning, the motto Silere et uri. Over laurel wreaths-Fortem sponte fequor. One of the most delightful prospects (that imagination can paint) is given you by the windows of this palace. You look over a vast tract of country finely wooded, with the river Po winding fantastically in the valley, whilst branching out different ways, it gives birth to a beautiful iland, finely clumped with majestic trees; many buildings appear dispersed in such manner as if they had been placed on purpose to ornament, not crowd the scene; little hills clothed in vines, the plains in the highest cultivation, and the whole bounded by a chain of mountains covered with snow. His present Majesty never visits Mont Callier. The Duke of Savoy, who has a very good taste, is remarkably fond of this place, and is making gardens above the palace on the fides of the mountain, which when completed will be more agreeable to Nature, and consequently in a much truer tafte than any of those about Turin. This letter is already fuch a packet, that I do not know whether the post-master may not fend it to the prime minister for inspection: for there is a fufpicion and a police reigns in this town that surpasses the genius of Sartine. But more of this another time; for the present, I shall not absolutely add another word, except to beg you to observe, if till now I have not kept my promise; and to tell me fincerely in your next, if I do not grow too circumstantial and tiresome. Upon the flightest hint I shall mend of this fault; meantime, believe me, as always, yours most affectionately, &c. My next letter shall positively be my laft from Turin. LET 1 A S : LETTER XI. Turin, O&ober the 24th, our time now draws near for quitting Turin in order to visit Genoa, you must not expect to hear from me again till after we have reached that city, and I seize this first opportunity to conclude my observations upon the environs of Turin. Church. Upon the top of a very high mountain, a league and a half from the town, stands the magnificent church called La Superga; it was built in conse-La Suquence of a vow made by Victor Amadeus, that if perga victorious, he would erect a church upon that spot, from which, with Prince Eugene, in the year 1706, during the fiege of Turin, he had observed the distribution and the operations of the enemy's troops before the town. Accordingly the French army being defeated, and obliged to raise the fiege, the building of this church was begun in 1715, and it was confecrated in 1731. The architect made choice of, was Philip Juvara; though it is not faid that Victor had included this preference in his vow. The afcent to this church is so extremely rapid and difficult even now, that it feems to have been E almost impossible for human art and address to have brought together the materials here employed. |